Display apparatus

ABSTRACT

Display apparatus here includes vertical supports carrying plural horizontal channels. There are display carriers easily assembled to the channels and individually adjustable along the channels. Each display carrier includes a mounting plate and a rod for supporting merchandise or for acting with another rod for supporting a display card. The channel has in-turned lips, the upper lip being wider than the lower lip, and the mounting plate of the display carrier is of the proper width to be tucked under the upper lip, swung against the wall of the channel between the lips and shifted into the groove formed between the bottom lip and the wall of the channel, then being captive behind the upper lip. The lips extend from the rear of the channel, so that the wall of the channel has an unobstructed front appearance, and it can be used for signs, etc. The rods of the display carriers extend from the plates at the rear of the channel, across the top or bottom edge of the channel, to the display space in front of the channel.

United States Patent Fisher et al.

[ 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] DISPLAY APPARATUS [73] Assignee: H. Goodman &Sons, Inc., Kearny, NJ. [22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 863,844

Primary ExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Paul S. Martin [57] ABSTRACTDisplay apparatus here includes vertical supports carrying pluralhorizontal channels. There are display carriers easily assembled to thechannels and individually adjustable along the channels. Each displaycarrier includes a mounting plate and a rod for supporting merchandiseor for acting with another rod for supporting a display card. Thechannel has in-tumed lips, the upper lip being wider than the lower lip,and the mounting plate of the display carrier is of the proper width tobe tucked under the upper lip, swung against the wall of the channelbetween the lips and shifted into the groove formed between the bottomlip and the wall of the channel, then being captive behind the upperlip. The lips extend from the rear of the channel, so that the wall ofthe channel has an unobstructed front appearance, and it can be used forsigns, etc. The rods of the display carriers extend from the plates atthe rear of the channel, across the top or bottom edge of the channel,to the display space in front of the channel.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I 5y ,7 1H;

DISPLAY APPARATUS The present invention relates to display apparatussuch as that commonly used in retail stores, both for merchandise andfor signs used with the merchandise.

Of particular interest in connection with the present invention is thetype of merchandise .that is carried on a card and hung from asupporting rod. For that reason, the disclosure appearing below is drawnparticularly to this kind of merchandise. However, it will be readilyapparent that the invention has broader application to other forms ofdisplays for merchandise, and for signs.

Display apparatus for merchandise as it is used in retail stores shouldbe easily assembled, and it should be adjustable to accommodate changesin the display from time to time, and

' to accommodate a variety of different sizes of packages in any onedisplay. Accordingly, one'object of this invention resides in theprovision of display apparatus that is attractive in appearance and iseasily assembled and easily adjustable, and which provides for efficientutilization of space in displaying a large amount of merchandise. Afeature of the novel display apparatus involves means for supportingsigns in attractive relationship to the merchandise without undulyoccupying space that should be conserved for the merchandise.

The foregoing objects are achieved in the illustrative apparatus whichis shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below. Theillustrative apparatus includes a form of widely used upright steelchannels having slots for receiving support brackets. In theillustrative apparatus, a number of horizontal channels are supported atvarious heights on the upright channels. Each horizontal channelincludes a horizontally elongated panel in a vertical plane andelongated lips extending along the top and bottom margins of the panel.The lips are turned in at the rear of the panel. The front of thehorizontal channel thus presents an unbroken surface that is neat inappearance, easily kept clean, and usable as a sign-bearing surface. Thehorizontal channels provide adjustable support for carriers that displaymerchandise and signs in the space in front of these channels.

Each display carrier includes a support plate or the equivalent whosebottom edge is received in a horizontal lower groove formed by the lowerlip and the front panel of the horizontal channel. Each display carrieralso includes a display part extending from the rear of the supportplate and around either the top or bottom margin of the horizontalchannel and forward into the display space. The forward extending parttends to press the support plate against the back surface of the panel.The upper lip that depends from the upper margin of the horizontallyelongated panel is wide enough to prevent appreciable rearward pivotalmotion of the support plate about its lower edge as a fulcrum. Thismight happen in case the forward extending part of the display carrieris disturbed as when merchandise is being applied or removed.

The upper edge of the plate is received in an upper groove at the rearof the horizontal channel. The upper groove is formed where the upperlip joins the front panel of the channel. This groove is made deepenough so that, when a support plate of a display unit or carrier islifted into this groove, the lower edge of the support plate can bemoved across the top edge of the lower lip of the channel. When adisplay carrier is to be mounted on a horizontal channel, the upper edgeof its support plate is tucked into the upper groove of the channel andthe lower edge of the support plate is moved across the lower lip andagainst the rear surface of the panel. Then the plate is moved downwarduntil its lower edge is supported in the lower groove of the channel.Removal of a display carrier from a channel is easily done, by firstlifting the plate into the upper groove and then moving the lower edgeof the plate away from the panel and across the top edge of the lowerlip.

When assembled to a channel, the support plate of a dislay carrierprovides extremely stable support for the display part. However, thedisplay carrier as a whole is easily adjusted along the channel to anydesired position. Furthermore, additional display carriers havingsupport plates can be mounted in like manner at other locations alongthe channel.

In a preferred form, the display portion or part of the display carrieris in the form of a downward-and-forward sloping rod having an upwardhook at the front end of the rod. Such a rod is useful as a gravity-feedsupport for hanging merchandise. Merchandise of this kind commonly has asupport card, and there is a hole through the card near the upper edgefor penetration by the rod. Two or more display carriers can be used forsupporting an elongated sign. The forward-extending parts of suchdisplay carriers can be made long enough so that the sign is supportedat a display planedefined by the front packages carried by gravity-feedrods elsewhere in the display assembly. Plural channels can be used withan appropriate complement of display carriers, some for supportingmerchandise and other channels can be used for supporting signs, and insome cases both signs and merchandise can be carried by a commonchannel.

The nature of the invention and its further features of novelty andadvantages will become more fully apparent from a consideration of theillustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings and described in detail below. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is the front view of a merchandise display embodying variousfeatures of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a horizontal cross section of one of the vertical posts orstore channels bf the display assembly in FIG. 1, drawn to much largerscale;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the display apparatus of FIG. 1 asviewed at the plane 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view, partly'in cross section of a sign displaycarrier in the assembly in FIG. 2, drawn to much larger scale;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views like FIG. 3, illustrating carriers fordisplaying merchandise inthe assembly in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating the manner of assembly of the displaycarriers of FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, with one of the support channels;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front view of one of the channels of FIGS. 1 and2, drawn to larger scale than in FIGS. 3-5, together with a supportbracket; and

FIG. 8 is a lateral view of the parts shown in FIG. 7, portions beingbroken away and shown in cross section for clarity. Referring now to thedrawings, vertical posts or store channels 10 are suitably anchored in avertical position in any conventional manner. Horizontal channels 12 aresecured to the upright channels 10 by means of brackets 14 at each endof each channel 12. Three different forms of display carrier areincluded in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2, including carriers 16a (alsoshown in FIG. 3), carriers 16b (also shown in FIG. 4), and carriers 16c(also shown in FIG. 5).

Each channel 12 has a pair of in-turned lips 18 and 20 that extendintegrally from the top and bottom margins of what may be called thefront panel 22 of the channel. Lip 18 is wider than lip 20 for purposesthat will be clear below in the discussion of FIG. 6.

As seen in FIG. 1A, upright post or channel 10 has two vertical rows ofslots 24 that are formed to receive and interlock with hooks 26 (FIG. 8)of brackets 14, at any desired height along post 10. As seen in FIGS. 7and 8, each support bracket 14 includes a side portion 28 that extendsintegrally at right angles to the body portion 30 of such bracket. Bodyportion 30 is slidably received in channel 12. The top and bottom edgesof body portion 30 slide in top and bottom grooves, formed where lip 18is connected to panel 22, and where lip 20 is joined to panel 22. Adimple 32 is formed in the front panel 22 of each channel near each endthereof, and a longitudinal slot 34 is formed in each body portion 30 ofeach bracket. Bracket 14 is slidable along channel 12 to positionslimited by engagement of dimple 32 with one end of slot 34. Bracket 14can accordingly be shifted to a projected position with the side-plateportion 28 spaced a limited distance from the end of the channel.Side-plate portion 28 can also be shifted to any position literallybehind channel 12. This latter adjustment is made possible by cutouts 36and 38 in side-plate portion 28 which accommodate lips 18 and 20 whenthe whole bracket is shifted to a position wholly, behind panel Somesome installations make this adjustment necessary, as for example whereupright channel 10 at the right of FIG. 1 is screwed to a wall near thecorner of a display room. Channels 12 may be required to extend acrossand beyond such an upright 10, and channels 12 can then be cut to therequired length. Hooks 26 (FIG. 8) can be made integral with one end ofchannel 12, but for versatility of the whole assembly, there should bean adjustable bracket 14 at least at one end of each channel 12.

Bracket 14 does not form an obstruction that would break up the frontsurface of panel 22 of each channel. The bracket is received in theinside rear surface of the channel, the side of the channel at which theupperand lower lips 18 and 20 are disposed. Accordingly, the front ofeach panel 22 is not obstructed by brackets 14. in some instances,uprights 10 are carried by a pedestal (not shown). Where bracket 14 islocated at the end of channel 12, detent 32 cooperates with the end ofslot 34 to prevent the bracket from being pulled out of the end of thechannel. This gives the assurance that the bracket will continue tosupport channel 12 even if the upright 10 in which bracket 14 is hookedshould be jostled.

Each of the three display carriers 16a, 16b and 16c includes a plate40a, 40b, or 401:, shown as being rectangular. Display carrier 16a has arod 42 secured to the back surface of plate 40a extending downward andforward to an upright portion 42b. Rod 42 includes a portion 42a thatextends upward from plate 40 and around the upper margin of channel 12.As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of display carriers 16a are used tosupport a card 44 at the front of which there is a sign, illustration,or other display material.

Display carrier 16b includes a plate 40b to the rear of which there isattached (as by welding) a metal rod 46 including a portion 46a thatcurves around the upper margin of channel 12. Rod 46 extends downwardand forward to an upward hook portion 46b. Another, similar, displaycarrier 16c is shown in F IG. 5, including a metal plate 40c to the rearof which there is attached (as by welding) a metal rod 48 having acurved portion 48a that extends around the lower margin of channel 12.Rod 48 slopes downward and forward to the hook 48b at its forwardextremity.

As seen particularly in FIG. 2, display carriers 16b and 16c which haveshort hooks 46b and 48b are utilized effectively for supporting packagesP and P. The packages carried by any one downward-and-forward slopingrod include a backing card and a transparent blister that contains andeffectively displays the merchandise. Plural display packages arecarried on a single downward-and-forward sloping rod 16b or 160 and aregravity-fed toward the front hooks of those display carriers. Byappropriate choice of length of display carriers, the front package oneach of the display carriers can be disposed at a common verticaldisplay plane which also includes the sign 44.

The form of display carrier 160 shown in FIG. is of distinct advantage,in that the packages carried thereby are supported with their upperedges below the channel 12 that carries these display carriers. As aresult, the unobstructed front face 22 of the channel is unbroken by anysecuring means for the carriers 16c, and is free for use as a signdisplay area as for prices. In any event, the front of channel 12 thatsupports a series of display carriers of the form shown in FIG. 5presents a neat, uncluttered appearance when display carriers 16c areused.

Display carriers 16b and 16c can be used on a common channel 12 tosupport different sizes of packages P and P. Carriers 16b areparticularly useful where a channel 12 is at the top of posts and thepackages are to be supported as high as possible, for full use of thespace.

Notably, the display carriers 16b and 16c can be used in anycombinations on any number of horizontal support channels, and can befreely positioned at any point along those channels that may be requiredfor orderly distribution of the displayed merchandise. Moreover, eachdisplay carrier 16a, 16b, and 16c, is very easily installed and removed.

In FIG. 6, the top-to-bottom dimension A of plate 40 is seen to be smallenough to fit dimension B between the upper edge of the lower lip 20 ofchannel 12 and the upper groove of channel 12 formed by upper lip 18 andfront panel 22. Because of this relationship, plate 40 can be tilted asshown in FIG. 6 and lifted against the upper groove of channel 12, andthen swung forward to its dotted-line position until the plate bearsagainst the inside or back surface of panel 22. Thereafter, plate 40 ismoved downward so that its lower edge is received in the groove formedbetween lower lip 20 and front panel 22 of the channel. The upper lip 18is made wide enough so that dimension C is less than the height of plate40. Accordingly, a plate that rests in the lower groove cannot tilt farrearward about its bottom edge. Actually, there is no tendency of theplate to tilt rearward about its bottom edge because the natural weightof each display carrier (both alone and when loaded with merchandise)has a strong tendency to tilt the plate forward about its bottom edge soas to bear against the inside back surface of the channel. However, theinclusion of lip 18 provides a measure of stability in resistingaccidental removal of a display carrier when an article is being removedcarelessly. Moreover, the use of both lips 18 and 20 strengthens andstiffens the channel.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the merchandise display rods 16b and 16c slopedownward toward a front vertical plane containing the foremost packagesP and P and sign 44. The same channel that supports sign carriers 16aalso supports merchandise carriers 16c at the top of the display. Inother arrangements, the form of display carrier in FIG. 4 could also beused in a channel that carries sign-supporting display carriers 16a.Other channels I 2 are secured to posts 10 at suitable levels bybrackets 14, and create an attractive display assembly that utilizesavailable space efficiently. As indicated above, display carrier 16c hasdistinct advantages. It is especially useful when the front surface ofhorizontal channel 12 is to be used as a sign support, e.g., to displayprice signs. Display carriers 16b also have notable advantages,explained partially above. An important advantage of carriers 16b is inutilizing the available volume for display of merchandise efiiciently.When the front face of a channel 12 is not used for bearing prices orother signs, the volume in front of that channel 12 is available asmerchandise display space. That space can be utilized for hangingmerchandise on display carriers 16b.

The individual carriers 16a, 16b, and 16c are easily shifted along asupporting channel 12 to desired locations, and these carriers canreadily be added and removed as desired. They are securely supported bythe channels, and yet there is no need for a right fit or matchingdimensions, nor are tools needed in setting up the display assembly.

The foregoing represents exemplary forms of construction illustratingvarious features of the invention. However, those skilled in the artwill be able readily to introduce variations and to devise variedapplications of the novel features, and therefore the invention shouldbe construed broadly in accordance with its full spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

l. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated supportchannel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical planeand forming the front of the channel and said support channel having topand bottom elongated lips extending toward each other from thelongitudinal margins of said panel portion at the rear of the channel, adisplay carrier having a display portion disposed at the front of saidchannel and extending rearward across one of the margins of said channelto the rear thereof, said display carrier including mounting meanscooperable with said channel at the rear thereof for securely butseparably supporting the display carrier, and means supporting thechannel with the front thereof and the display carriers exposed to view.

2. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein saidsupporting means includes support brackets for said channel spaced apartalong the length of the channel and assembled to said channel at therear thereof and between said lips.

3. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated supportchannel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical planeand said support channel having top and bottom elongated lips extendingtoward each other from the longitudinal margins of said panel portion atthe rear thereof, and a display carrier having a display portiondisposed at the front of said channel and extending rearward across oneof the margins of said channel to the rear thereof, said display carrierincluding mounting means cooperable with said channel at the rearthereof for securely but separably supporting the display carrier, saidtop lip being wider than said bottom lip and said mounting means of thedisplay carrier comprising a mounting plate wider than the space betweenthe edge of said top lip and the groove formed by the junction of saidpanel portion and the bottom lip but narrower than the space between theedge of the bottom lip and the groove formed by the junction of saidpanel portion and said top lip.

4. A display assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein said displaycarrier extends from said mounting plate at the rear of said channel andacross the upper margin of the channel.

5. A display assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein said displaycarrier extends from said mounting plate at the rear of said channel andacross the lower margin of the channel, thereby preserving anunobstructed front view of the channel.

6. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the displayportion of said display carrier is a downward and forward sloping rodhaving a merchandise-retaining hook at the forward end of said rod.

7. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including a pluralityof said display carriers, said display carriers being mutually separatedalong the length of said channel, and a sign supported forward of saidchannel by said display portions thereof.

8. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including pluralchannels as aforesaid and plural display carriers as aforesaid separablysecured to each of said channels, certain ones of said carrierscomprising forward extending rods and having sign-supporting formationsat a forward display plane, and additional ones of said display carriershaving forward and downward sloping merchandise display rods terminatingwith hooks approximately at said display plane and spaced from saidsign-supporting formations.

9. A display assembly, including a support channel having a horizontallyelongated vertically disposed panel portion and having elongated lips ofunequal widths turned inward toward each other from the longitudinalmargins of the panel portion, the wider one of said turned-in lipsextending along the top of the channel and the narrower one of said lipsextending along the bottom of the channel, and plural display carriersincluding a support part and a display part carried thereby, the top andbottom edges of the support part being farther apart than the spacebetween the lower edge of said top lip and the bottom of the grooveformed by said in-turned bottom lip and said panel portion, and the topand bottom edges of the support part being closer together than thespace between the upper edge of said lower lip and the top of the grooveformed by said top lip and said panel portion, so that a display carriercan be readily assembled to, and removed from, the channel.

10. A display assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said displaypart of each display carrier extends from said support part at one sideof said support channel across an edge of the channel and to theopposite side of the channel, whereby the turned-in lips of the channelare disposed at the side of the channel remote from the display spaceidentified with said display part.

11. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including pluralhorizontally elongated channels each being formed and disposed asaforesaid, said plural channels being disposed at respectively differentheights, and a plurality of display carriers on said channels, thedisplay portion of at least one of said display carriers extendingacross the upper margin of the supportin channel thereof and the displayportion of at least one of sai display carriers extending across thelower margin of the supporting channel thereof.

1. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated supportchannel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical planeand forming the front of the channel and said support channel having topand bottom elongated lips extending toward each other from thelongitudinal margins of said panel portion at the rear of the channel, adisplay carrier having a display portion disposed at the front of saidchannel and extending rearward across one of the margins of said channelto the rear thereof, said display carrier including mounting meanscooperable with said channel at the rear thereof for securely butseparably supporting the display carrier, and means supporting thechannel with the front thereof and the display carriers exposed to view.2. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein saidsupporting means includes support brackets for said channel spaced apartalong the length of the channel and assembled to said channel at therear thereof and between said lips.
 3. A display assembly, including ahorizontally elongated support channel having a panel portion disposedin a generally vertical plane and said support channel having top andbottom elongated lips extending toward each other from the longitudinalmargins of said panel portion at the rear thereof, and a display carrierhaving a display portion disposed at the front of said channel andextending rearward across one of the margins of said channel to the rearthereof, said display carrier including mounting means cooperable withsaid channel at the rear thereof for securely but separably supportingthe display carrier, said top lip being wider than said bottom lip andsaid mounting means of the display carrier comprising a mounting platewider than the space between the edge of said top lip and the grooveformed by the junction of saiD panel portion and the bottom lip butnarrower than the space between the edge of the bottom lip and thegroove formed by the junction of said panel portion and said top lip. 4.A display assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein said displaycarrier extends from said mounting plate at the rear of said channel andacross the upper margin of the channel.
 5. A display assembly inaccordance with claim 3, wherein said display carrier extends from saidmounting plate at the rear of said channel and across the lower marginof the channel, thereby preserving an unobstructed front view of thechannel.
 6. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein thedisplay portion of said display carrier is a downward and forwardsloping rod having a merchandise-retaining hook at the forward end ofsaid rod.
 7. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including aplurality of said display carriers, said display carriers being mutuallyseparated along the length of said channel, and a sign supported forwardof said channel by said display portions thereof.
 8. A display assemblyin accordance with claim 1, including plural channels as aforesaid andplural display carriers as aforesaid separably secured to each of saidchannels, certain ones of said carriers comprising forward extendingrods and having sign-supporting formations at a forward display plane,and additional ones of said display carriers having forward and downwardsloping merchandise display rods terminating with hooks approximately atsaid display plane and spaced from said sign-supporting formations.
 9. Adisplay assembly, including a support channel having a horizontallyelongated vertically disposed panel portion and having elongated lips ofunequal widths turned inward toward each other from the longitudinalmargins of the panel portion, the wider one of said turned-in lipsextending along the top of the channel and the narrower one of said lipsextending along the bottom of the channel, and plural display carriersincluding a support part and a display part carried thereby, the top andbottom edges of the support part being farther apart than the spacebetween the lower edge of said top lip and the bottom of the grooveformed by said in-turned bottom lip and said panel portion, and the topand bottom edges of the support part being closer together than thespace between the upper edge of said lower lip and the top of the grooveformed by said top lip and said panel portion, so that a display carriercan be readily assembled to, and removed from, the channel.
 10. Adisplay assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said display partof each display carrier extends from said support part at one side ofsaid support channel across an edge of the channel and to the oppositeside of the channel, whereby the turned-in lips of the channel aredisposed at the side of the channel remote from the display spaceidentified with said display part.
 11. A display assembly in accordancewith claim 1, including plural horizontally elongated channels eachbeing formed and disposed as aforesaid, said plural channels beingdisposed at respectively different heights, and a plurality of displaycarriers on said channels, the display portion of at least one of saiddisplay carriers extending across the upper margin of the supportingchannel thereof and the display portion of at least one of said displaycarriers extending across the lower margin of the supporting channelthereof.